AN/

The meeting finally happens with Hanzo, their leader and part of the mystery of who Gon Freecs is, is finally revealed. But even sunshiny smiles and bright faces have shadows beneath them and a secret to hide. Gon takes too close a look at himself and meets this new darkness underneath, but will he regret it in the end?

Gon-eccentric.

Warning: Minor Character Death and some violence.

On Vacation haha. So I'll be slow posting these for the next while. Expect maybe another update by Friday/Saturday hopefully. I'll be writing a lot while I'm away so hopefully will come back with chapters galore. b: Especially cause people are gonna murder me for the cliffhanger.

ALL WELL. Please ignore any errors and mistakes. I didn't correct or edit this beforehand, so I will probably come back and fix it up in time.

This is focused on Gon this time, because it's about time I bring up the plot a little and show you while this is a real War AU.

Enjoy.

thumper5: THANK YOUUUUUUU. Makes me super happy to hear. AU is hard but I wanna go nuts so AU it is. Trying not to stray from OOCness is the hardest thing honestly but I'll practice in time. I appreciate your review.

Kihana: YOU'RE FOREVER CRAZY.

I think I found Hell

6

Typically, when one joins the army, the lower ranking newbies; as they call it, expect to be bossed around by the higher ups. Those new recruits would be drilled into the ground by their sergeants and those sergeants would then be bossed by their captains and so on.

It wasn't like this when apart of the Silver Squadron 2. A nice change in pace from usual warfare where you dreaded what you knew was coming only to be treated fairly and equally as the rest of your fellow officers. It was one less weight to carry on those heavily burdened shoulders and they were thankful for it. To be created and treated same. It was something everyone made sure to appreciate. A treasure, like a gift of luck.

Just another thing to make the battle-weary days a little more bearable.

The same applied to Hanzo; assigned leader for the Silver Squadron 2. He didn't eat special high-class meals like you'd find royalty picking away at while the lower class fished out the crumbs. He didn't sleep in a grand, luxurious room with four poster beds and spic-span clean shower rooms. He had his own office and personal space, yes, but it was just as ordinary and plain as the rest of the rooms their base had. A simple desk, some shelves, and the tackiest paint imaginable.

But Hanzo never complained, only smiling as he walked by the other hunters like a normal person. An individual of like status. A comforting feel to it.

He wasn't made a priority to anybody. His status and rank was no greater than any other.

Everyone had equal rights.

And as Kurapika and Leorio walked into that office with Gon trailing behind them, neither men felt a shred of tension or anxiety. It was a mutual feeling that they knew too well. After all, they were personal friends with Hanzo since their first Hunter Exams. All three shared a history. A positive history reminiscent of the good old days before war ravaged the peaceful tranquility they were growing up in.

"Kurapika! Leorio!" The head ninja said in his usual sing-song voice, standing in front of his desk while making an attempt to organize the crazy mess of papers littering the small abused space. He waved to them offhandedly, rubbing the back of his shaven head out of sheer embarrassment. "I didn't expect you so soon, heh heh, so excuse the disaster. Have a seat! I prepared some chairs for you all."

Leorio laughed a little, watching their proudly bald leader scramble to shove papers into a semi-decent pile in a mad haste to prevent further more falling to the floor. There was a subsequent amount already there. Any more and he might as well consider the floor his new desk. "Sheesh, how you manage so much paperwork all the time is beyond me, Hanzo."

Kurapika of course; in his mature nature (and partly from his obsessive cleaning habits), started plucking what he could from the floor only to be stopped by a calm, firm hand patting his shoulder with a chuckle.

"Thanks, man, but I got this. Sit, sit. I can't have you guys doing all my work now can I? That would defeat the purpose of being the leader!"

Nodding curtly, the blonde sighed and set what he collected onto the table and sat himself beside Gon, the kid obviously lit up with curiosity but contained by his respectfulness for his elders. Apparently someone had raised him to have some manners; unlike some other good-for-nothing bratty boys that shall remain nameless. Gon was fidgeting in his seat and those big brown eyes were almost glowing with something. Something Kurapika couldn't quite name, but it intrigued him. He made a mental note to inquire on it later.

After a few long moments of Hanzo mumbling odd, incoherent things to himself while rearranging his paperwork, he finally turned and propped himself against the desk edge with a big sigh and ever bigger smile.

"So. How is everyone doing today? I would hope alright after that last mission anyway. I know how to pick 'em easy don't I?"

"Ha ha! You sure do. And their doing great, actually!" the doctor piped in, throwing a thumbs up his friend's way, "Finished all the patients last night so everyone is taken care of and ready to set sale for the safe houses."

"And everyone, including the other hunters, are making great recoveries. The supplies are all in order and everyone is making preparations to set off towards our next mission by the end of this week. Another two days and we should be fully packed and ready to go by the necessary standards." said Kurapika next, checking the clipboard he came with on hand and offered it to the other once he concluded the information correct.

Dark eyes scanned fast over the paper and Hanzo nodded, satisfied as he set aside the clipboard. "Good, good. That's great news! That means everything will go smoothly and according to plan." He turned to the teenager sitting in the middle, those eyes now showing interest in him. "You must be Gon!"

Hanzo strode over and immediately thrust out his hand, still wearing that ever-present smile.

"My name is Hanzo. Call me an old-fashioned ninja if you will. I am the assigned leader of the Silver Squadron 2. It's a pleasure to meet you! Mind telling me a little bit about yourself, young man?"

All three of the men dropped their attention to that lone tan-skinned boy sitting in his chair. Anticipating, waiting. Excited? There was just something magnetic and unexplained that no one could pinpoint, breathlessly waiting for the answer to come and explain itself. It was in this child.

It was Gon. But who exactly was he, after all?

And so, they stared, quiet and patient. For all questions had to be answered eventually.

Right?

All eyes on him.

Gon swallowed, boots scuffing the tile flooring below. The squeak wasn't nearly as loud as his heart beat thundering behind his rib cage. He felt signaled out, spot light illuminating his form for the whole world to see.

Aunt Mito had always taught Gon to respect your elders but in the face of a real life war captain, he just wasn't so sure anymore how to react. From what he knew, war was a serious thing and everyone who was apart of it took the matter very seriously. He couldn't blame them; wherever war went, death surely followed. Although Kurapika and Leorio had been nice and accepting of him so far; how much longer would it take until he stepped out of bounds and did something to incur their wrath? He couldn't quite gauge Hanzo so he decided to play it cautious.

Intimated. Gon was definitely intimidated. But he wouldn't back down. Not yet.

"My name is Gon Freecs, sir." He spoke slow, picking his words carefully, "I just turned sixteen on May 5th. I live here on Whale Island with my Aunt Mito-san and Abe; my grand mother, up on the highest hill by the western port side."

His hand took the others and shook firm, feeling the power radiating from those strong fingers into his own tanner ones, a small gasp leaving him when the rush washed over his entire being.

He's strong. Really strong.

While he had a decent look at the man, he eyed the bulging muscles pressing out of a tight, armor-like suit. He was dressed to the hilt, no sleeves, and the most peculiar thing to stand out on him was the deep red scarf wrapping around his neck. Even that thin glow Gon had been seeing was flowing strong around Hanzo, closely resembling a calm but powerful current just ready to surge over its enemies.

Instead of waiting for a reply, Gon continued before his nerves got the best of him. "I was raised here for as long as I can remember. My aunt has been taking care of me since. It's been really nice and I like to go out and explore the forests all day long when I'm not helping out around the villages. I've been told I have a keen pair of senses if that makes any sense.. Uh..." He laughed. Just him. It only eased the tension slightly. "Let's see.. I do know for a fact I'm the only boy who's actually grown up and was raised on Whale Island. The only other two children here were two younger girls, but we hardly ever spoke with how busy their parents were. Otherwise, it's just been me."

"And on another note, I really, really do like it here on Whale Island, but what I really want to do is help all the people who are being affected by the war. I really care about everyone here, but I can't stand around and watch everyone getting hurt and killed because of these.. Ant things that everyone keeps talking about. So.. So-"

Yeah. He decided. No regrets or second thoughts.

He had his answer.

"If you'll have me, I'd like to join you guys in the war and fight the Chimera Ants, too, to the best of my abilities that I can offer!"

Nobody moved. He even wondered if they were breathing with how still they had become.

Was I that bad?

"And that's all I have to say, s-sir!" Gon concluded fast and hurriedly, panic evident but pushing past it when he bolted up from his chair and saluted the best cadet's salute he could manage. You know, the funny one where your hand is held flat against your forehead and your chin is turned ridiculously upward and head aimed so high up your neck starts to crack. Then in turn, your spine is bending erratically every which way in order to maintain this insane positioning, your tippet-toed posture threatening to drop you to the floor in an embarrassing heap where you'd be ridiculed and mocked at for all eternity by your fellow peers.

But you still tried.

Interesting.

That was the only word any of the three men could come up with to describe the air of reverence surrounding them and this new, mysterious youth. Kurapika figured as much the second he laid eyes on that bronze-skinned male: Gon shared many similarities with Killua. Just another teenager caught up in a battle they were too young to fight in, too innocent to be of witness to, once pure and now tainted by the blood on their faces. Their hands. Their hearts.

It was a horrifying world they were being brought into and Kurapika pitied them a little for their terrible luck.

But they would make it. They were both two strong growing adults.

And if it were anything to go by, Gon seemed fairly self-sufficient unlike a certain stone-headed albino. He had the uncanny senses comparable to a canine; sharp-eyed and attentive ears could keep him on the correct path. A strong nose may be useful in a tough-knit situation and his reflexes and energetic spirit would give him an edge on the field. Albeit his obvious nativity and one track mind; Gon has this sense of righteousness about him. Courage perhaps? It was hard to actually describe him, truthfully.

Gon appeared easy to read but in reality was as unpredictable as they come.

He would be one to keep tabs on, indeed.

"That's a big proposition you're making, kid, but I will certainly take it into consideration! Gon Freecs you say?" spoke Hanzo, rubbing the flat of his chin. "I think I've heard of another Freecs before, somewhere in the higher ups. Wasn't it Jin..?"

"Ging!" Gon blurted excitedly, brightening at the mentioned name, "That's my dad."

Kurapika's eyes widened in both realization and genuine surprise, leaving a bewildered Leorio to only stare and blink in his confusion like an outcast. "Your father is one of the Zodiacs?!"

"No way! This tiny pipsqueak is related to one of them?" the bald man gaped, rearing back in shock.

Leorio flailed his arms suddenly, looking left and right between the two other guys. "Hey, wait a second! Hold up here! Who the hell are the Zodiacs? What are you guys talking about! Let me in on this!" He turned to Kurapika and shook him by the collar of his robes. "Kurapika, spill! Who are the Zodiacs?"

A swift slap sent the bespectacled man whining over his redden hand, the blonde straightening his clothes with a sigh. "Leorio, we went over this several times. It's not my fault you have a lackluster memory and can barely remember what you even have for breakfast."

"WHAT? I do not have a l-la..lack whatever memory! And I do remember what I had for breakfast! It was.. eggs and.. those square things. You know-?"

"You had sausage and bacon, skipped the eggs and toast for a black coffee and a huge slice of fatty steak soaking in grease. Because, you know, 'real men thrive on meat' as you thoroughly described it."

"Well it's not my fault all you live off of is those tiny excuses for toast and crackers with your stinky smelling tea!"

"I'll have you know tea is very healthy and calming on your body and mind. You should try it."

"So is coffee. The caffeine wakes you up! What's better then that?"

"A lot of things, actually, if you would just take a moment to consider-"

Gon's raised hand interrupted the pair, voice loud enough to be heard and thus send the room into a hushed quietness. Leorio and Kurapika looked like they were on the verge of strangling each other and Hanzo was just chuckling away in the background. "Uhm. I'd like to know who the Zodiacs are, too, if you don't mind." All eyes fell on him and the dark-haired teen rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, shuffling in place. "Please." He added as a last afterthought. Just in case.

Hanzo's hand rose next, immediately silencing further protest from the peanut gallery over in their chairs. He laughed, dropping his hand like Gon at the same moment and stared at those big hazel eyes watching him with utmost curiosity. "The Zodiacs are what you consider the Hunter Association's 'Top Dogs'. Chairmen Netero is the head of the Hunters and the Zodiac members are his second in command. They're considered some of the most powerful people in the world, most of them double star Hunters or of higher rank. I think your father was or was in the process of becoming a second star hunter, if I'm correct. Your father, Ging is one of the most widely renowned Hunters, actually. He's mostly famous for his archaeology discoveries, but he's made a lot of other amazing achievements too. Although it's said not many people actually ever get to see him; but those who have say he's amazing! They say his Nen is so incredibly powerful that most only get a second to glimpse it before-"

"Hanzo." Kurapika butted in, pointing at the steady stream of smoke starting to issue forth from the youngest male present in the room. "I think you lost him as soon as you started talking."

Leorio chuckled, fanning the gathering haze with his hands before patting the lad on the back reassuringly. It seemed to do the trick, the kid snapping out of stupor with a startle and then instantly laughing at his own behavior. "I don't blame him. Whenever Hanzo starts explaining things, he never stops rambling. I don't even think I can keep up with him half the time."

"More like none of the time, Leorio."

"I resent that! Sort of! Argh! Shut up, Kurapika, you're not helping!"

Their ninja friend moaned, face palming and glared past his spread fingers with a sigh. "As much as I like you guys a whole lot, your constant teasing isn't earning any brownie points with me."

"Sorry, Hanzo." The two said in unison almost reflexively. This just made their leader groan louder in dismay.

"Okay. Fine. A simpler explanation that you might be able to understand, Gon." He received a confirmation nod that he had his attention. "Your father, Ging, is pretty famous among us Hunters. A lot of people know about him but have never actually seen him. He's a member of this Hunter's group called the Zodiacs, which, if you were to put it in simpler terms, he would be like second in command to the chairman. Get it?"

Again, another eager nod and now a smile poised on those small lips. "He's really strong from what I hear, so strong that even the mere mention of him has most people surrendering before the fight even starts. But what's most known about him is that he has a bad tendency to avoid almost all contact or conversation with everyone, so he has this habit of disappearing for awhile only to show up however longer later just out of the blue."

Gon's head tilted, looking unchanged by the information given to him. "I already knew all that about him. Aunt Mito-san told me!"

All three men shot glances the Gon's way, Hanzo's eyebrow twitching with irritation. "Then why did you even ask about them in the first place if you already knew?!"

"Well I knew about my father, just not about the Zodiacs!" Gon defended, a pout thrown their way. It seemed to ease the sudden tension built up, resulting in a group sigh of defeat.

The bald head of command massaged the side of his neck while taking a seat in his office chair, eyeing the boy with a new found energy he didn't know he had. He was interesting indeed, this Gon. He needed to know more. "On to another topic then. I'm curious to know why the Chimera Ants were keeping you as their special hostage. Even if you have impeccable senses, that's still not enough to give them a good reason as to keep you imprisoned on the higher up scale."

"Could they have done it because of his father's status?" suggested the doctor, throwing his bit of input their way.

Kurapika disapproved it with a shake of his head, turning to his friend with his usual neutral expression when he was in that ' intense thinking mode'. "The Chimera Ants aren't one to keep track of any of the hunter's names, let alone our history or backgrounds. The only thing they will have primary focus over is the number of us they will be fighting and any known abilities that could pose threatening. Their intelligence level might be on a different scale then ours, but it's been proven fact that most of these lower lackeys we've been facing are incapable of strategy or battle tactics. If they cannot even manage that, then what makes you think they would do something such as take a boy hostage because of his heritage?"

"And, on another note, they've yet to imprison anyone on Whale Island in special detainment. Gon is the only teenager we've come across so far on the island but that doesn't necessarily mean they would imprison him because of his age, either. The Chimera Ants are cold-blooded and heartless, killing babies and children as easily as they bat their eyelashes. So, it's obvious they don't have any particularly favored age groups they prefer to kill. So once we rule out Gon's heritage, family back ground, and his age and status, that only can only leave one thing. They see some kind of potential in him that we just aren't grasping. Something they're obviously afraid of or he wouldn't had been so bound and restrained like that. Plus-"

"You lost me the moment your lips started moving. Which for the record, is faster then when Hanzo starts talking." Leorio interrupted, rather bluntly of course.

Gon joined in right after, his hand raised in accordance with a guilty grin. "Me too!"

WHACK.

Now the pair of them were probably lost among the stars spinning around their head from the force of Kurapika's smacks if their pitiful moans were anything to go off by. Hanzo chuckled bemusedly.

"Well, we can definitely rule out all that you just said. Kurapika, as being any of the reasons they captured him. Which leaves my next question, Gon, do you know anything about Nen?"

"What's Nen? It sounds like some kind of fish."

The Kurta giggled, Leorio barking with his own laughter beside him, leaving poor Gon to stare between the two with a look of utmost puzzlement. "What's so funny?" He whined, swinging to face Hanzo who now was following their lead in his own subdued chuckles. "It really sounds like some kind of foreign fish."

Once his breathing was under control, the leader waved his hand to calm the room of its humor fit. As soon as it quieted down again, he smiled at Gon lightly. "No, it's not a fish. It's something Hunters can do specifically, but all humans actually contain Nen. And if you don't know what it is, then that means you cannot see or use it presently, which rules out that reason, too."

"See it?" the forest child blinked, "It's something you can actually see too?"

"Nen," Kurapika informed, finger in the air, "is what most humans would call or consider to be their aura. It's our life force that; if you have been exposed or trained to harness, can be manipulated and used like another weapon or even a tool for personal use. For instance, Leorio can use his Nen to heal people. On the other hand, Hanzo's Nen is primarily for fighting. However, no one's Nen is created equally, so the possibilities are endless and dependent on the individual. One example is that my Nen can both be used for attacking and healing. Your potential is designed from birth but it is possible to exceed beyond your limits and go further then that with intensive training and time. But everyone has it, even if they never can see nor use it to its fullest potential. That's what Hunters are: People who utilize Nen in various forms to do various things. Most of the time it's in the forming of 'hunting' like Blacklist Hunters who seek to apprehend criminals or Wild Game Hunters who find rare and endangered animal species, but in the Hunter universe, the possibilities are endless."

Gon seemed to ponder in thought, hand on his chin with focus cast to the ceiling midst quiet humming. "Hmmm." He drawled, licking his lips, then glanced back down at the golden-haired Hunter in front of him. "Is Nen that glowy stuff that surrounds your body all the time then, because it's been bugging me for a long time now. Everyone I've seen here is, like, glowing. Even some of the Ants I saw had this glow around them, but I haven't paid much attention to it so far. I thought maybe I was hallucinating or something."

"..."

The silence was stifling to the point the footsteps from outside the building were actually echoing somewhat in the room. You could even hear the sounds of the leaves crunching under people's feet and the trees were no where near where Hanzo's office was located. All eyes laid on Gon, blank and expressionless, and the teenager shifted uncomfortably in place. He opened his mouth to apologize over the idea that this stiff quietness was his doing, when all three men yelled at the top of their lungs in total disbelief, sending him practically flying through the ceiling in surprise.

"WHAT?"

"You can see Nen?!"

Kurapika was on the verge of exploding with how wide his eyes were growing. Gon backed away just in case any of the residual mess flew in his direction.

"This kid KNOWS Nen?"

Came next from Hanzo who might as well flipped his desk with the force his chair fell when standing up at this news.

And of course, typical Leorio remained the oddest of the group, oblivious like usual and more focused on maintaining his semi-youthful status for as long as he was able to. That 'old' title was driving him insane honestly.

"You're kidding me! You seriously saw it all this time, Gon? How unfair! All the kids these days are too super powered, I swear! I was lucky I even learned Nen when I turned 18, but come on!"

"S-sorry?" Gon offered, bowing his head apologetically. "I didn't know it was a bad thing."

Hanzo walked over and dropped his hand on top of the lad's head, ruffling the messy black locks while avoiding the spiky tips at all costs, laughing. "It's not actually! This explains a lot actually! I'm pretty shocked myself. Who knew so many young kids these days were becoming Nen experts? We really are getting too old for this Leorio!"

"I AM NOT OLD DAMNIT! WHY DOES EVERYONE ALWAYS THINK THAT I AM!?"

"He's even already mastered Ten already. I am very impressed." said Hanzo offhandedly to no one in particular, his forefinger and thumb busying themselves on his chin while he examined the new Nen user before him. The easiness of Gon's own aura sticking to his frame, moving gracefully around every curve and dip of his body was astonishing for someone who had only just recently acquired the power.

"TEN TOO?! Leorio cried out in a fit, arms waving frantically about, "It's not fair! It took me a whole year and a half just to master Ten and it takes this kid; what, probably not more then a month?" His arms flopped down to his sides, eye brows furrowing in his anguish as his face contorted in a series of mixed emotions. "I work way too hard for this shit. Seriously. Where's the Nen cheat sheet when you need one?"

"There's a cheat sheet? And you didn't tell me?!" rebuffed Hanzo, shaking the guy by the shoulders now, "CONFESS! WHERE IS IT? STOP HIDING IT ALREADY AND SHOW ME THE THING. I KNEW YOU TRIED TO CHEAT BACK THEN ON THE HUNTER EXAM BUT COME ON!"

"WHY I OUGHT TO-"

Kurapika calmly exhaled, gray eyes locking on brown. His serious tone drowned out the other two bickering like children in the background, causing the youth to focus in on him with natural curiosity. "Gon. When did you learn Nen? Or at least, for a better way of putting it, when did you start seeing Nen? Have you always seen it or is it just something that happened recently?"

"Recently. I remember waking up in the cell with two of those Ants talking to me while I was chained up. Though my vision was kind of blurry, I do remember they had this faint glow to them. That was the first time I'd ever seen something like that before. But it's nothing compared to the glow I see on you guys now. It's really dense and bulky, but also kind of clingy, too, so it doesn't look like it's overwhelming you with it. It makes me think of a very calm, flowing river that if provoked or angered, could turn into a raging tidal wave any moment."

"I seriously can't believe it.. another brat with Nen... What is this world coming to?" Leorio was mostly talking to himself now that their argument had died down, eyes shut, head held in his hands while he took slow, deliberate breaths.

Hanzo stepped forward, fists on his hips. "So, wait, you started seeing Nen before or after you were captured by the Ants?"

"After. Before is still kind of... blurry." he admitted, his gaze falling and a sense of sadness looming in those deep brown irises. "I'm still trying to remember what happened but it's like I can't no matter how hard I try." Fists clenched tightly at his sides, lip bit unconsciously in Gon's effort to think, think back and at least remember a sliver of it. But nothing came to him, just empty blackness and hushed, incomprehensible background noise. It was frustrating.

"Do you remember what you were doing that day they captured you? Try and remember that day as best you can. It might help you figure out when it all started. It's really important that you try and think back so we can understand better how this all started." Kurapika offered, concern evident. He could see the strain of whatever had happened taking its toll, Gon's features becoming hard and tense at the memories that refused to show. He could relate. He knew what it was like to forget the important details of one's life, especially something so impacting that, to forget, hurt just as much as to know in the first place.

"I'll try."

"..."

Several minutes passed by in silence before Gon seemed to visibly dawn into realization. The youth's face scrunched up, twisting the more the boy wracked his brain for answers. His eyes unfocused, fists starting to tremble in the struggle. "I was-" Voice shaky, he grit his teeth and tried harder, "I was doing something.. I know I went out that day because it was so nice outside. I wanted to go fishing and bring home some of Oba-chan favorite fish. The fishermen said they were in season so I thought.. I thought? But I don't think I caught any. It was getting late so I started to make my way home when I saw a bunch of smoke. The sky that had been blue not more then a few moments ago had suddenly become gray and black."

"Gon! Run!"

"Get away from here! Please!"

"HAHAHAHAHAHA."

Gon choked on a breath of air, almost as if the thick, gassy fog was predominating the oxygen around him. Tainted. It felt tainted. So he clutched his chest while he fought to continue, earning worried looks from those around him. Everything was worming its way into his head now. He was remembering."The port nearby.. it was on fire. There was a lot of screaming and running. It's so blurry now that I think about it. All those frightened crying faces." A grimace. "Everybody was everywhere and I didn't know what to do. The boats were burning on the water and the angry glow scared me. People were throwing themselves whichever way they could go only to die right before my eyes. I know I saw a lot of those strange Ants killing people, but the second I saw them look in my direction was the second I just took off running the other way. I'm not sure why I was running, but I know I was going back towards the house."

"No! I can't, I have to save you! Leave them alone!"

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA."

"Please! STOP THIS! STOP IT! DON'T DO THIS!"

Tears started to fall unbidden from his eyes and his hand instinctively coming up to wipe them away, only to pause and stare at the glossy droplets caught on the back of his wrist right after. "I think I was afraid. No, I knew I was afraid. But all I could think about at that moment was getting Mito-san and Oba-chan to safety before those things hurt them. There was so much blood and death. I was so terrified of seeing them suffer the same fate so I ran as fast as I could even if I wasn't breathing at some point. Only..."

"Run!"

"Gon!"

"Get away from them or I swear I'll kill you!"

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA."

Gon became still, motionless, the light in his eyes starting to dim. The shaking in his arms stopped just like his rugged breathing he hadn't realized was happening either. Everyone remained breathless, patient and quiet around him. Watching, anticipating with slow, anxious heart beats. They were hopelessly drawn into the boy's rich tale, the imagery practically playing before them in rich, exact detail. No one dared break the trance Gon was weaving over them. And so they listened.

Listened and dreamed.

'When I opened the door, I was watching those Chimera Ants surround my aunt and grand mother. They were screaming and crying for me to run, to save myself, to flee. And those creatures were just laughing and laughing.." Brown color became near black, Gon's face shadowed by the dark slowly creeping in. "They were cackling. One of them had Mito-san by the neck and was digging its nails over her chest so she was bleeding all over the floor under her. And I-... I couldn't..."

Somewhere, somebody was gasping and Gon could just register voices starting to call out to him. Was someone yelling at him in the distance? A female voice mixed in with a male's. They echoed in the back of his mind, vision steadily losing its light. He almost guessed he was seeing Kurapika and Leorio in front of him, mouths moving soundlessly. Were they talking to them? Why were they so quiet? Hands were reaching towards him and Gon kind of wished he could reach back, but the flashes playing before his eyes as they swapped in one big blur kept him rooted in place.

Paralyzed. Gon was frozen, helpless while his mind succumbed to the dizzying thoughts. The memories were now flooding through him in perfect clarity.

What replaced the cherished image of his once smiling grandma; sitting at their little wooden dining table with her usual morning green tea piping hot and smoking between those two tiny frail hands, was now a battered and broken indistinguishable lump crumpled up at the feet of the lion-like Chimera Ant. Its nails moved in slow motion, ripping out of her lifeless body and dripped onto the carcass below while it licked at the crimson liquid like a tasty treat. Her last moments of living left her with the lips in a sad, grim line and eyes soulless, empty, the color drained until she was nothing more then black and gray.

And what used to be happy and enjoying their last few years of old age was now gone, fleeting like the blood pooling away from such a small, priceless container. Left to dry, to harden, and to rot without care.

It tugged at Gon's heart strings, threatening to snap.

Such cruelty brought his piercing scowl onto his surrogate mother, gasping and thrashing within inches of her life. Her legs were kicking her assailant to no avail. He could distantly hear Mito-san calling out his name, one hand managing to free itself as it reached towards him. Tears spilled freely from her fearful round eyes, staining those pretty pale cheeks in smears of glossy crimson. Her cherry-red hair was disheveled, her favorite clothes and apron ripped to shreds after so many hard-working hours spent to sew them together. Gon had bought her the fabric for her apron with money he earned from doing labor for the villagers and even helped her put it together.

"STOP!"

"GON!"

"NOOO!"

"HAHAHAHAHA!"

Now, before him, Aunt Mito was a painted portrait of maternal purity ruined by the grizzly reminder of encroaching death.

Gon knew at that moment there would never be another heart warming smile to brighten up his days when he returned home from a bad outing. No more teasing scolds when he was punished for doing wrong, only to then be comforted and hear such soft, calming words be sung to him in reminder of what was right. No more hugs, little pecks on the cheek and head, or pinky-swear promises he swore on his grave to keep less he swallow a thousand needles. No more warmly cooked meals from home and laughing for hours at all the silly jokes he learned from the fisherman down by the bay. Even the perverted ones which always earned him a smack well worth it in the end. His bed would no longer be left already made when he crawled under the chestnut scented covers he'd snuggle down in, so cozy. His clothes wouldn't be found hanging by the line when he ran up that freshly cut grass to their lone little house on the highest hill of Whale Island, wrapped snugly by the strong, masculine tree that swore to protect what was his.

He had failed. They were no longer his anymore.

There was something else gradually overrunning the image in view, flecks of black and red; like snow flakes, traveling upward and around him. Was this what his aura looked like? His Nen? It was twisting and turning in sickly colors, dark and cold like the remains of his tiny but treasured family.

Crack. Snap.

The sound of bone snapping in half made bile rise to his throat, bit back by his tongue pressed between his teeth. What had made the room loud with the ringing of his aunt's frantic pleas and screams, suddenly became dead silent in her last moments of useless struggle. She sagged in the grip refusing to let go, give her some respite in death. Gon was unconsciously edging closer now towards them in a gradual shuffle; the giant beetle-ant dangling the limp red-haired woman that Gon had once called ''mom' like a rag doll meant to be played with. It was wiggling her back and forth, like the worm wiggles to entice the fish to bite on.

And then it started laughing.

And laughing.

Laughing and laughing.

It was endless laughing. All around him. Everywhere. So many mouths of grotesque, alien creatures cackling and roaring with laughter, fingers all aimed at him. All of them faceless. All of them covered in their blood.

And there was black and red color, too, invading his vision. Betraying his mind in its inky rage, all consuming. He didn't fight it.

As the last bit of his mind coated itself in the overwhelming display of enticing darkness, Gon realized that he really just didn't care anymore at that point.

He didn't care. Not one bit.

There was no more reason to care, after all.

END/ I love Mito and Abe with a passion and Gon/Mito's relationship is adorable but my plot in mind wouldn't work unless I gave Gon something to mull over yep yep. So sorry to all the folks hatin' me on their deaths. ;u; I will prob add flash backs and memories tho in the future SO AT LEAST LIKE THAT YES DON'T KILL ME TOO MUCH. *chicken run bawk flap SCREAMMMM*

SEE YOU LATER FOLKS.